How to choose glue for repairing glass and metal products?

Increasingly, in the interiors you can see things created by the hands of the owners. Often when making them, the master raises the question: how to glue glass and metal? The original mirror in a retro-style copper frame, a glass table with a steel frame, airy transparent shelves framed by bronze - if their parts are not correctly connected, the structure will quickly fall apart or lose its appearance. It will be very disappointing if after a few days the glue changes color and brown or yellow streaks appear through the shiny surface. Do not rush to take up tools, first purchase high-quality materials for gluing parts and learn how to work with them.

What is better to glue?

First answer the question: what do you want from your design? If the product will not experience any stress, the appearance is not important to you and the yellow smudges will not get on your nerves - go to the store and buy a tube of cheap universal glue. He will not require special skills from you, the work will not be time-consuming: put glass and metal with glue, pressed to each other - and you're done. Many unfortunate craftsmen do this without knowing that manufacturers have long been releasing formulations with which they can restore a thing so that no one will notice traces of bonding.

For a real home craftsman, his work should be:

• durable;
• durable
• neat.

The last point is especially important if a product made of glass and metal is seen by many people, for example, when repairing glasses or jewelry. For furniture or automotive glass, the strength of the joint is necessary, but the appearance plays an important role.

Experts recommend the following brands of glue:

• VERIFIX MV 750 - only for transparent glasses,
• B 682-0.

When deciding which adhesive is best to work with, carefully read what materials the selected composition can be used for. Glass with a relief surface does not adhere as reliably as perfectly smooth.

Tip

If you are repairing products that will come into contact with the human body for a long time, such as jewelry, check if the selected compound will cause allergies or skin irritation. Silicone based products are toxic. If you have any health problems, it’s worthwhile to ask your doctor how safe the glue is.

If the structure does not become subjected to heavy loads, and the seam is not visible, you can prepare glue for metal and glass yourself. Take lead lead, chalk and gypsum in 2.5 parts, add 3.5 parts of rosin. Mix all components thoroughly and combine with drying oil. The thickness of the composition for bonding should resemble putty.

Bonding technology

You have acquired high-quality material, now you need not to spoil it with inept use. Read the instructions, figure out how to glue glass and metal, and follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Do not spare time for preparatory work: the strength of the joint will depend on the condition of the surfaces.

The work consists of the following operations.

1. Clean the bonded surfaces of glass and metal, remove dirt, foreign substances, adhering particles, smooth out irregularities if possible.
2. Degrease the joint with a compound after which no film remains. An alcohol-based wiper is a good fit.
3. Check how the surfaces fit together.
4. Warm the parts so that their temperature is 30⁰ higher than the surrounding air. It is convenient to use a hairdryer for this work.
5. Install the parts so that the seam is horizontal.
6. Not later than 5 minutes after warming up, apply glue, connect the fragments and squeeze them firmly for 2 minutes. If excess glue is squeezed out of the seam, remove it until the drops have hardened.
7. Irradiate the surface with a UV lamp. For a device with powerful radiation, the exposure time is 10 seconds, if the lamp is weak - 2 minutes. After this procedure, the connection will acquire 70% strength.
8. For structures experiencing heavy loads, conduct a second exposure - from 1 to 5 minutes. After this procedure, the bond strength reaches its maximum.

Tip

Do not try to apply glue with a thick layer for strength. When using an ultraviolet preparation, the opposite rule applies: the thinner the adhesive film, the stronger the connection.

When bonding metal and glass, there are some subtleties. If you use a medium viscosity composition, apply it before joining the parts. It is most convenient to work with a thin brush, while making sure that there are no spots and bubbles not smeared with glue. A composition with a low viscosity with the help of capillary activity itself will be drawn into a narrow gap; fragments can be joined before the preparation is applied. The surfaces must be bonded so that they are firmly pressed against each other, and apply glue to the joint.

The seam is strong enough, but you need to properly operate the product. The temperature range is quite high: from -40⁰ to + 150⁰. For domestic conditions, this is usually enough, but it is not recommended to repair the greenhouses beyond the Arctic Circle or windows in the ovens using this method. If the structure will be exposed to water, the seam must be treated with sealant for additional protection against moisture.

Before using any chemical composition, carefully read the instructions. The same brand can improve over time, slightly change the properties. At the same time, the technology of work may change: the method that you used 2 years ago is not necessarily suitable for a new modification of glue. When using an unfamiliar composition, you can first practice on scraps of glass and metal so as not to make mistakes in the manufacture of critical designs. Do not forget about your own safety: do not use food utensils for work, wear protective gloves.

The chemical industry produces a huge range of compositions with which you can glue any materials. Do not take the first product that comes to hand, find glue that will allow you to firmly connect metal and glass. Carefully read the instructions, what loads and external influences the product can withstand. If you choose the right composition, the connection will be durable, and the seam will be almost completely invisible.